A fast tender running wide across open water off the Queensland coast

Expedition · Cairns to Lizard Island · September to December

BLACK MARLIN
on the Ribbon Reefs

The black marlin capital of the world, fished the way the season deserves: a game boat on the grounds at first light and a crewed superyacht waiting at anchor every evening.

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Chapter 01Contents

THE EXPEDITION Mothership fishing, explained

Mothershipping pairs a purpose built game fishing boat with a luxury yacht. Serious sportfishing by day, superyacht comfort by night, and no daily run back to port eating into the fishing hours.

It solves the one real compromise of live aboard game fishing: a boat built to chase marlin is rarely built to sleep, dine and entertain a party in real comfort for a week at a time. Under this model the game boat carries only what it needs to fish hard, and everything else, the cabins, the chef, the connectivity, the deck for the guests who are not fishing, sits aboard the yacht.

With the mothership stationed right on the grounds, every extra hour on the water is an extra hour in front of a giant. Anglers fish through the afternoon and step back aboard each evening to a proper yacht: a real bed, a chef prepared dinner and sunset drinks. It is the format that longer, more serious marlin trips are built on, and it turns a physically demanding week into a holiday rather than an endurance exercise.

It is also the format that works for mixed groups. While the anglers are out, everyone else has the reef: snorkelling the lagoon, the sun deck, the paddleboards, the sea pool and the tender. Nobody's holiday hinges on being on the rod.

01

The game boat

Captain, mate and deckhand, dedicated to the fishing alone. Rigged and on productive water at first light.

02

The mothership

Cabins, chef, crew, tender and toys. Holds position on the reef or repositions along it as the fish move.

03

The grounds

The Ribbon Reefs, Cairns to Lizard Island. Deep blue water and rich reef within easy running distance of each other.

04

The season

September to December for giants. June to September for juveniles on light tackle. Pelagics year round.

The Ribbon Reefs from the air

Fast tenders for the run to the grounds

Back aboard for lunch

Next chapter03 · The grounds

Chapter 03The grounds

Marlin fishing Great Barrier Reef · Cairns to Lizard Island

THE RIBBON REEFS

The Ribbon Reefs run north from Cairns towards Lizard Island and are widely regarded as the black marlin capital of the world. Along this 250 kilometre stretch the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef sits unusually close to the continental shelf, so deep blue water and rich reef systems lie within easy running distance of one another. Very few places on earth offer that combination.

Each spring the offshore grounds and reef edges come alive with some of the largest black marlin on the planet, with giant trevally, dogtooth tuna, wahoo and Spanish mackerel across the same water. Reef, pelagic and estuary species all reachable from a single base is what made Cairns one of the most complete game fishing regions anywhere.

MonthJFMAMJJASOND

Giant black marlin, Ribbon Reefs

Juvenile black marlin, inshore

GT, dogtooth tuna, wahoo, mackerel

Princess Charlotte Bay and Cape York

Peak giant black marlin season builds to a November and December crescendo. Positions change year on year.

Next chapter04 · Black marlin

Chapter 04Black marlin

The fish, the fishery, the season, the technique

BLACK MARLIN Istiompax indica

Among the largest and most powerful billfish in the world. Females, considerably larger than males, can exceed four metres and 600 kilograms, and the biggest fish taken off Cairns regularly top one thousand pounds on rod and reel.

Their broad, rigid pectoral fins, which cannot fold flat against the body as other marlin species can, are one of the clearest ways to identify a black at the boat, and part of what makes a hooked fish of this size such a formidable adversary.

Cairns has been synonymous with giant black marlin since the fishery was first properly developed in the 1960s and 70s. The first grander, a fish over one thousand pounds, was landed off Cairns in the mid 1960s and the numbers taken in the years that followed established the region's reputation almost overnight. Since then the overwhelming majority of all grander black marlin ever weighed anywhere in the world have come from North Queensland waters, a statistic no other fishery comes close to matching.

The concentration comes down to geography. The narrow shelf between the reef and deep water means giant black marlin, migrating through the Coral Sea to spawn, funnel along a compact stretch of the Ribbon Reefs each spring rather than dispersing across open ocean the way they do almost everywhere else. The fishery drew Lee Marvin through the 1970s, and since then Wilbur Smith, Rupert Murdoch, Jimmy Carter and Greg Norman to the chair.

01

September to December

Peak giant black marlin season. Numbers and average size both build towards a November and December crescendo.

02

June to September

Juvenile black marlin of 100 to 300 pounds move through the inshore reefs. Excellent, technical light tackle sport ahead of the main season.

03

Heavy tackle

Trolling the reef edge on 130 or 80 pound outfits with large skirted lures or rigged whole baits: scad, queenfish, rainbow runner, tuna or mackerel, skipping or swimming just below the surface.

04

Tag and release

Standard practice among the Cairns professional fleet since the 1970s, a conservation ethic that has sustained the fishery for more than fifty years. IGFA compliant tagging and weighing can be arranged for a recognised catch.

Next chapter05 · A day on the water

Chapter 05A day on the water

Before sunrise to sunset drinks

A DAY on the water

Days begin before sunrise, the game boat running wide to untouched reef systems, blue water drop offs and historic marlin grounds while the yacht holds position or repositions along the reef edge. Breakfast is taken behind the reef, waking to the sun rising over the breakers, before the morning is spent gathering bait: scaly and Spanish mackerel, scad, rainbow runner, tuna, dogtooth tuna, giant trevally and reef species such as coral trout.

There is usually time to snorkel or spearfish the calm water of a lagoon before heavy tackle marlin fishing begins from around lunchtime, once the baits are set and the boat is on the troll. Anglers fish through the afternoon, then return to the yacht for a chef led dinner, sunset drinks and a proper night's sleep before the next day's run. That rhythm is what makes a full week of serious fishing restful.

Non fishing guests aboard the yacht are equally well looked after: snorkelling, diving, tender excursions and time at anchor near the reef fill the days between marlin runs, and the yacht's own itinerary can be shaped as much around reef exploration as around the fishing.

Before dawnGame boat away. Crew rigs and rotates baits to match conditions through the day.
MorningBait gathering along the reef edge. Snorkel or spearfish the lagoon.
From noonHeavy tackle on the troll. The crew manage the fight, tag and release to a professional standard.
EveningBack aboard the yacht. Chef led dinner, sunset drinks, a real bed.

The game boat crew is the expedition. Cairns's professional fleet has developed over five decades on these grounds, and its crews hold local knowledge of reef edges, drop offs and bait movements that makes the difference between a quiet day and a hookup.

Typically a captain, first mate and deckhand, dedicated solely to the fishing while the yacht's own crew handle hospitality and accommodation. Because the game boat carries no catering or cabins, the whole operation stays focused on what it is there to do: read the water, find the fish and put anglers onto them. The game boat for each expedition is selected from the most established crews in Cairns for the dates and the group.

Next chapter06 · Itineraries

Chapter 06Itineraries

Built for peak season · routing adjusted day to day

SAMPLE ITINERARIES Cairns north

FIVE NIGHTS six days

Cairns to the outer reefDepart Cairns and run north to the first productive grounds. Afternoon on the troll, settling into the rhythm. Sunset drinks and dinner aboard the yacht.
Ribbon ReefsFull day trolling the Ribbon Reef systems, targeting black marlin along the reef wall and drop offs. Evening at anchor.
Deeper groundsThe game boat runs wider to blue water drop offs and historic marlin grounds. Non fishing guests dive or snorkel from the yacht.
Prime marlin waterA full day on the most productive stretch of the Ribbons, timed around the best light and tide.
Final fishing dayLast full day chasing marlin, with the option of light tackle for juveniles or giant trevally if the bite calls for it.
Return to CairnsRelaxed morning, final photographs and pack down, before the run home.

SEVEN NIGHTS eight days

Cairns to Mackay ReefDepart Cairns, cruising north to the first reef systems. An afternoon on the water to settle in.
Ribbon Reef No. 3Further north, fishing the reef edge as the water clears and the current strengthens towards the outer grounds.
Ribbon Reef No. 5A full day on one of the most consistent stretches of marlin water on the Reef, with giant trevally and mackerel alongside.
Ribbon Reef No. 5 to No. 9Continuing north, fishing progressively more remote and less pressured water each day.
Ribbon Reef No. 10The northernmost Ribbons, among the most productive black marlin grounds on the entire system.
Pixie Pinnacle to Lizard IslandA session at Pixie Pinnacle before easing into the sheltered water near Lizard Island.
Lizard Island groundsOne or two final sessions on the outer reef, then the yacht moves into the calm of the Lizard Island lagoon.
Lizard IslandA relaxed final morning: snorkelling, the walk to Cook's Look, or time at anchor, before departure by air or sea.

Both itineraries are indicative. Routing is adjusted by the captain for weather, sea state and where the fish are running. Multi day expeditions extend as far as Lizard Island, combining marlin with the northern Reef's best diving and snorkelling.

Next chapter07 · Beyond marlin

Chapter 07Beyond marlin

Game fishing North Queensland · outside peak season

BEYOND MARLIN Further north

Marlin is not the only reason to head north from Cairns. The same mothership model opens some of the most remote and least fished country in Australia, for the party whose interest runs to barramundi, giant trevally and reef species as much as billfish.

Princess Charlotte Bay, roughly midway between Lizard Island and Cape York, is about as remote as sportfishing in Australia gets. Its estuaries, mangrove lined rivers and interconnected creeks are cut off by land for much of the year and reachable only by air or sea. That isolation is what makes it exceptional: extensive barramundi water that barely sees another boat, with queenfish, fingermark, jacks, cod and salmon in the same snags and drains, and mud crabbing when the pots go in along the way. A typical week runs from a charter flight out of Cairns to meet the boats, then estuary and light blue water fishing by tender and game boat.

Further north again, Cape York's wild coastline and the Coral Sea's outer grounds, Osprey Reef, Bougainville and the seamounts among them, offer another dimension entirely: deep water fishing for dogtooth tuna, wahoo and GTs alongside some of the most pristine and rarely dived reef on the entire system. As with the Bay, a yacht makes this kind of remote, multi day exploration comfortable rather than an exercise in roughing it.

01

Peak season

September to December. Itineraries centre on the Ribbon Reefs and the outer grounds for black marlin.

02

Outside peak

Broader access to the reef, the Coral Sea, Princess Charlotte Bay and Cape York, with diving and reef exploration from the yacht.

03

Light tackle country

Estuary and flats fishing on lighter gear. A different style of trip to the Ribbons by design.

04

Lizard Island

The natural turning point. Charter flights connect the island to Cairns for a one way expedition.

Next chapter08 · Questions

Chapter 08Questions

QUESTIONS Before you ask

What is mothership fishing

A purpose-built game fishing boat does the fishing while a larger crewed yacht, the mothership, stays on the grounds with the cabins, the chef and the guests who are not fishing. Anglers fish through the day and come back to the yacht each evening, so there is no daily run back to port and no compromise on comfort.

Why is Cairns called the black marlin capital of the world

Along the Ribbon Reefs north of Cairns the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef sits unusually close to the continental shelf. Giant black marlin migrating through the Coral Sea to spawn funnel along this compact stretch of reef every spring, and the great majority of grander black marlin ever weighed have come from these waters.

What is a grander marlin

A marlin of one thousand pounds or more, about 450 kilograms. The first grander black marlin was landed off Cairns in the mid 1960s and the fishery has produced more of them than anywhere else on earth.

How big do black marlin get

Female black marlin can exceed four metres and 600 kilograms. The biggest fish taken off Cairns regularly top one thousand pounds on rod and reel.

When is the best time to fish for black marlin in Australia

September to December is peak giant black marlin season on the Ribbon Reefs, building to a November and December crescendo. June to September brings smaller juvenile fish inshore on lighter tackle.

What is included in a mothership charter

The yacht, her crew and chef, meals, the tender and water toys, and the game boat with its dedicated fishing crew and tackle. Fuel, provisioning and beverages run through the advance provisioning allowance. Extras such as a second game boat, a chase boat or scuba diving are quoted per charter.

Next chapter09 · How we make it possible

Sun loungers on the aft deck of M/Y Impulsive at dusk

Chapter 09How we make it possible

The fleet · Central agent

HOW WE MAKE IT possible

The mothership is the difference between a fishing trip and a holiday. Four crewed yachts in the managed fleet can hold position on the Ribbon Reefs for the season, each paired with a heavy tackle game boat and crew from the Cairns fleet.

Every expedition is built around two boats. The game boat carries only what it needs to fish hard: tackle, a captain, mate and deckhand, and the speed to be on productive water at first light. The yacht carries everything else. Cabins with real beds, an executive chef, connectivity, the tender and the toys, and a deck for the guests who would rather snorkel the lagoon than sit in the chair.

Lumir already carries her own game rods, railguns and dive gear, and works these waters through the marlin season. For a serious run at a grander, any yacht in the fleet is paired with a dedicated heavy tackle game boat, selected for the charter from the most experienced crews in Cairns.

Pricing is built per expedition: the yacht at her published rate, the game boat and crew for the fishing days, and the advance provisioning allowance for fuel, food and beverages. A second game boat, a chase boat and scuba diving are quoted alongside.

Impulsive40.2m · 12 guests · per week from AUD $175,000

Sunset35m · 10 to 12 guests · per week from AUD $160,000

Lumir37m · 10 guests · per week from AUD $120,000

Sea Raes30.5m · 8 guests · per hour from AUD $2,000

What is included, what is quoted

Five night, six day expeditionYacht, crew and chef, game boat and fishing crew, tackle and bait, tender and toys. Priced on application for the season and the yacht.
Seven night, eight day expeditionAs above, running the full Ribbon Reef system to Lizard Island. Priced on application.
Additional guestsPer person, per day. Quoted with the charter.
Second game boatAlongside for larger groups. Quoted per day.
Chase boatQuoted per day.
Scuba divingGuide, gear and fills. Quoted per day.
Helicopter transfersCairns to the yacht on the grounds, or Lizard Island. Quoted per flight.

Every expedition is priced for its dates, its yacht and its group. Ask the central agent for the number.

Next chapter10 · Impulsive

Chapter 10The fleet · I

M/Y

IMPULSIVE

Forty metres of Italian build. The only yacht in the fleet that clears Australian waters for Fiji

Brochure (PDF) Rate card (PDF)

M/Y Impulsive

The ESSENTIALS

40.2mLength

MondomarineBuilder

2007Year · Refit 2025

12Guests sleeping

5Cabins

8Crew

80Day guests

WhitsundaysHome berths

AUD $175,000per week

Impulsive is the yacht the business was built on. Refitted through 2025, she runs the Whitsundays through the Australian season, works the entire east coast on request, and crosses to Fiji for the South Pacific season. Eight crew to twelve guests, an executive chef, and certification for eighty on deck at anchor.

Beam: 8.48m
Draft: 2.15m
Engines: 2 × MTU
Cruising: 19kn
Max speed: 21kn max
Tonnage: 314 GT
Flag: Australia
Home port: The Whitsundays
Cabin mix: Master, 2 VIP, 2 Twin

GALLERY

Where she goes · Australia & the South Pacific

CRUISING GROUNDS

The Whitsundays from October to June, with a Brisbane season in March and the entire east coast available on request. Then the Coral Sea crossing to Fiji for July to September: the Mamanucas, the Yasawas, Cloudbreak. The only yacht in the managed fleet licensed for the passage.

Prime seasons 2026/27JFMAMJJASOND

Whitsundays

Brisbane

Fiji

Calendar for the 2026/27 season. Positions change year on year.

ACCOMMODATION

5 cabins · 12 guests sleeping

ON BOARD

Toys & tender

SACS Strider 11m sports tender
Seadoo jetski
2 × Flite eFoil scooters & Fliteboards
Stand-up paddleboards

Water & deck

FunAir sea pool, slide & floating oasis
Large deck jacuzzi
Sun deck lounging & bar
Snorkelling equipment

Onboard & service

Starlink & 5G throughout
Executive chef, bespoke menus
Captain & 7 professional crew
Fresh orchids styled throughout

RATES 2026/27

per week from AUD $175,000

Charter	Period	Rate	Terms
Nightly	24 hours	AUD $28,000	Incl GST, + APA
Weekly	7 nights, 8 days	AUD $175,000	Incl GST, + APA
Full day	8 hours	AUD $30,000	Incl GST, F&B packages
Half day	4 hours	AUD $16,000	Incl GST, F&B packages
Day & event	3 to 8 hours, up to 80 guests	On request	Per-person F&B packages

Rate card (PDF) Hold dates on Impulsive

Next chapter11 · Sunset

Chapter 11The fleet · II

M/Y